SARATOGA SPRINGS – Thoroughbred racing will hit one of the year’s high notes at 1 p.m. this afternoon when the crowd joins with track announcer Tom Durkin for the traditional call, “And they’re off at Saratoga!” as the field breaks from the gate for the first race on opening day.

Today kicks off the 139th summer stand at historic Saratoga Race Course. If the crowd, estimated at 20,000, that showed up for the open house Sunday to watch several non-betting races is any indication, a bang-up meet is in store. The New York Racing Association, smelling victory as the race for the franchise renewal comes down to the wire, has bet Saratoga to win big-time. Despite being in federal bankruptcy court since November, NYRA spent over $1 million in improvements to the Old Spa and substantially increased purses.

If the goal was full fields for the summer season, NYRA got its wish, judging by the flooded entry box for today’s 10 races.

Nine 2-year-old fillies were entered for the traditional opening-day feature, the Grade 3, $100,000 Schuylerville at six furlongs. It’s no surprise that the favored entrymates, New York City Girl and Lady Chace, are trained by Todd Pletcher, who’s won three of the last four Schuylervilles en route to the meet training title.

Both fillies were ridden by Chris DeCarlo when they ran off the TV screen to break their maidens in June at Monmouth Park, but Pletcher’s go-to riders will be aboard today. John Velazquez pilots Lady Chace, a 290G daughter of Tiznow that won first out by 103/4 lengths as the 1-5 favorite going 5½ furlongs June 28. Garrett Gomez was named on New York City Girl, a Forest Camp filly that cost 110G. She won by 113/4 at 1-2 going five furlongs June 14.

It’s going to be an action-packed opening week. Tomorrow, in addition to the Sanford Stakes, NYRA is giving away an Angel Cordero Jr. bobblehead doll.

Saturday, the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Handicap is one of four races in the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge, along with the Diana, Go for Wand and A.G. Vanderbilt.

The highlight of the meet, as always, is the $1 million Travers on Aug. 25.

Curlin breezed six furlongs in 1:14.1 yesterday over the Oklahoma track here, and will likely start in the Aug. 5 Haskell at Monmouth. Street Sense could run in Sunday’s Jim Dandy here.